by Strider, Jez
When they were gone, Mara lowered her voice. “No, I’m not jealous. When a female comes of age, she goes into the forest clearing for her ritual and chooses a mate who will bond with her. Then, she’ll shift the first time afterward.”
“Brynn did seem anxious about her birthday. Wait, does bond mean fuck?”
“Basically. It’s primitive and crude, but we’re animals and that’s how it works. There are usually more males than females, so it’s an honor to be chosen.” She explained.
Taylor appeared disgusted and intrigued at the same time. “You did that?”
“This is personal, Taylor, but no, I didn’t. I was pregnant.”
He sat back down, standing too much for his sore body. “Tell me about Mason.”
“He went missing while Kaden was in New York. Levi was in charge. That’s why he’s so intent on finding the boy. None of them can find him and wolves are good trackers.” Mara explained.
“Do you think you can arrange for me to talk to Kaden alone about it? I can help.”
“Why do you want to help?”
Taylor shrugged. “Because I’m supposed to.”
Kaden hated leaving Mara alone with that human. He knew about guys like that. Where Kade would rip pants off, Taylor would talk a woman out of them. If he were being honest, though, he didn’t think Marala had serious feelings for the guy. He also didn’t think the guy had anything to do with the kidnapping. One thing was for sure, he had eyes for Brynn and the brothers were not happy about it.
Blake and Luke, usually mellow, were raging during the entire trek up to Old Finn’s. Brynnara had wanted to date boys from school, live as a human. Begged not to change. The brothers, being her guardians, firmly refused. Now, she’d led an intruder home.
Levi mentioned a few more times how odd it was for a human to “find” the tranquilizer dart when the wolves had searched the area.
Kaden sighed. His thoughts and emotions ranged from one extreme to the other. Holding Mara had been heavenly, bringing back memories of the warm nights of his youth underneath the moon. But she defied him at every turn. But, maybe she saved him from making mistakes.
The chance of finding Mason alive dwindled with each passing hour. He didn’t have time to babysit humans or make a wrong move.
“Hey there. Bringing the party to Finn’s?” Finn asked. The old man had a long scraggly white beard and short, unevenly cut, frizzy hair.
“We’re going to sniff around and see what we can find. Show us where you saw the person.”
Finn led the way, staggering as he walked. Not from being old, but inebriated. “It was a big fella, like you boys, and he had something thrown over his shoulder. I’d swear it was a body. Thought it was in my head until Blake and Luke came by and started askin’ questions.”
“Go on back to the house and we’ll dig up some clues. Appreciate it.”
The men had shed their clothing and transformed in a matter of seconds. Kaden kept his nose to the ground, flaring his nostrils as he tried to find any scent that was familiar or out of place. Frequent and unpredictable thunderstorms washed away evidence quickly. From the cloud cover, one was on its way. Without a clue soon, they’d probably never find Mason.
When he was on the brink of giving up, an indentation caught Kade’s eye. On the moist forest floor, there was a partial boot print. The mark itself helped immensely because it pointed in the direction the young wolf had been taken. Kaden recognized it as a hiking boot, but it could have belonged to anyone. One of the wolves, a fisherman, or hunter. Hiking boots were commonplace. He ran off in the direction of the clue, his pack at his back, and searched until his paws ached and night had fallen.
For hours, Marala had anxiously swayed back and forth in the creaky old porch swing. Nashoba had taken Taylor home with him, promising that no harm would come to the human without Kaden’s word. She’d reluctantly agreed. Taylor hadn’t been thrilled, but he’d been asking questions to the irritable Chocktaw who had changed to human form when Jak had brought him a pair of sweatpants. Taylor’s resourcefulness impressed her, but she feared for his life.
A sliver of moon had lit the night for a while, but now it had been covered and the rain poured down. The only time she could see in the darkness was when flashes of lightning streaked through the thick storm clouds.
She strained her eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of the dangerous black wolf or the equally terrifying, handsome man. Mara loathed how easily Kade had weaseled his way back into her heart. But the truth was he’d never left it. Taylor was attractive and interesting, but her love was for only one man. Hopefully, when he returned home he didn’t kick her out of his house and shun her from the pack.
Would he exile me? The thought sent chills through her body and she hugged her light sweater tighter over the large t-shirt she’d taken from Kaden’s closet to wear as a nightgown. Like everything he touched, it held his masculine scent. She pulled the neck up over her mouth and nose, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply. An adult, a mother, should not be acting like a girl with a crush. But the thought came anyway. I wish I had never left.
“What are you doing? You should be in bed.” Her eyes flew open and she saw Kaden standing a few feet from her, drenched from head to toe and splattered with mud.
Mara had intended to put her foot down and forbid him for harming Taylor. Tell him that her wishes had to be respected or she would never bond with him. That she’d take Jak and go somewhere they’d never be found. None of that happened.
“Kaden.” The confidence had disappeared. By the look on his face, she didn’t have to ask if they found the missing boy.
“Where is Nashoba and that human?” He shot her a disapproving frown.
“Nash took Taylor to his house.”
Kaden rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead, wiping off some water, but smearing mud in its place. “Good. You’re wearing my shirt.”
“I, uh, yeah.” She hunched her shoulders a bit. Her soft red hair rested loosely over her back, frizzed slightly from the wind and humidity.
The tension built between them. Neither knew what to say or was willing to apologize. Mara caved first, tossing herself at the filthy, shirtless man and wrapping her arms around him.
“Mara, I’m dirty.”
“I don’t care.” She lifted her head and took in all his features as if it’d be her last chance. No man had ever been more perfect to her, even if he was often a brutish mess with a hard line of unsmiling mouth. “Don’t send me away.”
Kaden placed a hand on her cheek. Her skin was soft and white against his rough, dirt covered fingertips. “I’d never do that. I love you too much.”
Marala couldn’t speak, obviously shocked to hear the words flow so easily from his mouth.
“Why are you surprised, Mara? I’ve never stopped. Never will. It’s not like it’s the first time I have told you.”
“Isn’t it too late for us? To undue all the damage?” She bit her bottom lip to stop it from visibly trembling.
He answered by picking her up, her legs going around his waist. “I don’t claim to know the path of destiny, but after all these years, I know you’re in my arms once again.”
Mara nodded before running her hands through his wet hair and kissing his mouth. Softly at first, and then more intensely, trying to make up for every kiss she’d missed since she ran away. Kaden carried her toward the front door, but she broke away from his lips, panting. “Take me to the clearing.”
He did as she asked, lowering her to the porch and squatting down so she could get on his back. Even in his human form, he was fast and strong, carrying her into the darkness as the rain pelted their bodies and the thunder rumbled the ground. In the dark, he easily found his way to the natural clearing in the forest. The ritual spot. The place where girls became women, boys men, and everyone wolf. On a clear night, the area would have been bathed in moonlight and a heaven of stars above. Not this night. Like their relationship, there was a turbulent storm.
“I wish it was the full moon.” Kaden said as he lifted the soaked shirt clinging to her body up and his mouth found her breasts.
She moaned out, closing her eyes, the cold rain chilling her, but his breath and body hot against her. “Me too.” Her response surprised her. Becoming a wolf at her age was unheard of. Though, they could even forgo the normal ritual since he was pack leader and no one could argue since they were long ago promised to each other.
Their last encounter had been unrestrained animal instinct. Kaden now took his time to appreciate Mara and the serious, restrained, angry woman let go. What was left was the person she was meant to be. Had been at some point long ago.
“I’ve never been myself without you.” He groaned out softly before his tongue teased at the supple flesh of her breasts and teeth squeezed a hardened nipple between them. The necklace from the branding was around her neck, the paw dangling at her cleavage. He reverently touched the emblem with his fingertips and lowered his mouth to kiss her stomach in several places. The rain ran across her skin and over his lips. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through.”
She could barely see into his black eyes in the night when he moved over her and gazed down. Her own irises were more yellow than green now. She could see them reflected in his eyes. Tiny little glowing moons. They’d never been that way before, but with Kaden against her, the wolf wanted freedom.
“I forgive you.” She whispered, leaning up a little to kiss him. A weight lifted. The heavy burden of carrying the grudge for so long was gone.
Kaden shed his pants, never removing his mouth from her for more than a few seconds. His length pressed against her, resting on her underwear. Without bothering to remove them, her tugged the fabric aside and entered her slowly.
Mara fell back again and arched her hips, his girth spreading her to take his entire shaft fully into her smooth depths. “Do you forgive me?” Her fingertips ran over his pecs lower to his hard abs which she pressed her palms against. Kaden was the embodiment of muscular perfection.
His answer was a brief withdrawal and firm thrust to fill her again. “Yes, my she-wolf.” He buried his mouth against her neck, suckling the flesh, as he made love to her. The sound of his drenched body slapping against hers echoed through the clearing. Only the heavy rain and thunder were louder than their connected bodies. Bright flashes of lightning illuminated their entwined forms.
He rolled over, his cock remaining inside as he lifted her on of top him. Immediately, he continued to thrust upward. Marala gasped, it a true testament of his love for her to give her the position of dominance. Though, in truth, the alpha was still in control of the situation.
His she-wolf. She liked that. Her hips began moving, finding a perfect rhythm with his constant upward assault. His hands rested on her hips, keeping her going when after a length of time, she thought she would collapse. Even after her body had exploded with pleasure, he kept her going. Then he stopped, his hips jutting upward, keeping her impaled as he allowed himself release. He didn’t pull out, but lowered his hips. She leaned forward against his strong body. Inside her, his member still twitched occasionally.
“Look at me.” He said.
Marala lifted her head, strands of hair falling over her eyes, water droplets in her thick lashes. She smiled softly, perfectly content to remain where she was forever.
“Did you mean it or did you say it because we were in the throes of passion? About the bonding? Becoming my wolf?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “I’m not sure I can spend another full moon killing my emotions with wine and cigarettes.
Kaden held her as he turned to his side, lightly running his hand down her hips and up along her waist. “Jak told me about that the day I showed him the wolf.”
“So you and Jak were talking about me?”
“He’s a good kid. Not like how I was at that age.”
“If we go through with the bonding and I become a wolf. He’s secured as the next leader, though that will be decades from now. You will keep him safe.” It wasn’t a question, but a demand.
“Until my dying breath.” He leaned close, kissing the tip of her nose. “I will protect you, too.” Suddenly, he grinned. His serious features seemed to protest, but the expression elevated him from handsome to godly. “You will be such a beautiful she-wolf. We both know with how you act that you’ll make a great alpha female.”
Mara looked up at the sky. The storm had broken up. Only a few clouds lingered, but a faint glow from the moon highlighted the lovers. “Feels right, doesn’t it?”
“I’ve never believed in anything more.” He watched her with pure adoration on his face. “We should get you home and cleaned up.” Kade slipped away from her and stood, stretching, cracking his neck side to side. Then he scooped Mara into his arms and held her like a newlywed carrying his wife.
“Kade.”
“Yes, my wa-ya?”He asked, calling her wolf in his ancestral tongue.
“I love you.”
“Nothing will keep us apart again.” He said with conviction.
Kaden had placed one foot on the bottom step of his porch when Nashoba staggered out of his house toward them. Mara was still in Kade’s arms and he held her protectively.
“What the hell happened to you two? You look like you’ve been wrestling in the mud.” He paused, realizing after he spoke. “Ahh, mating.”
“Forget about us, what happened to you? You look like shit.” Kaden said, setting Mara down and making sure she was steady on her feet before letting go.
Nash rubbed the back of his neck. He was groggy and disheveled. “That human must have stuck me with another dart. He was sleeping on my couch last I remember. Next thing I know I’m waking up face down on the floor.”
Mara put her hands defensively on her hips. “That’s impossible. How would he have had tranquilizers? He was searched.”
“Listen lady, he must have stashed some.”
Kaden stepped toward Nashoba. “We’re still due to rumble and you’re making the ass kicking you’re going to receive much worse. Apologize to my mate and treat her with the respect she deserves.”
For a moment, Nash looked between Kaden and Mara. “Until the moon, this pack has no alpha female.”
Large hands went around the impertinent bastard’s throat and Kaden tackled him to the ground, squeezing firmly. “I should kill you right now. You think you deserve to be a leader, but you’re nothing. Nothing!”
“Stop!” Mara screamed, trying to tug Kaden off of his pack brother.
He jerked his arm to shrug her off, knocking her backward and into the porch banister. “Do not come between wolves, my love.” Immediately, he released Nash and went to her, his eyes full of apology for accidently shoving her. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, but this fighting isn’t helping anyone.” She let him check her over even after telling him several times she was fine.
“She’s right.” Nashoba climbed to his feet less than gracefully. “I haven’t tried to track him yet. I couldn’t think clearly.”
Kaden ran a hand through his still wet hair, slicking it back. “Marala, go inside and stay with Jak. We’re going to see if we can find Taylor.” He turned to walk away, but she grabbed his hand.
“Please, if you truly want the bonding with me, don’t kill him. He wanted to help you find the boy. He asked me to tell you that he might be able to trace where the darts came from.” Mara looked up into Kade’s eyes. “Trust me. Taylor didn’t have anything to do with this.”
“I won’t harm him unless I have concrete proof he’s responsible. He’s only a human. There’s no way he could pull this off alone.”
“Thank you, my alpha.”
Kade wanted to stay, hug her, bathe with her, and hold her the entire ni
ght. Instead, he didn’t even glance back when he spoke. “Keep the doors locked. There’s a shotgun underneath my bed. It’s loaded.”
Chasing after girls he was infatuated with always led to bad times. Taylor should have known better. Still… his pursuits had never landed him in this much trouble. Where was he anyway?
The air smelled musty, like leaves and soil. His eyes shot open and he lifted his arms in the air, fearing he’d been buried alive. But no, although he was on his back, he could sit up. It took no small amount of effort. His head throbbed like a marching band had taken up residence in his skull. The worst hangovers of his college days weren’t this bad.
“Hey.” A timid voice said.
Taylor jumped, scrambling as far as he could away from the sound. He could barely see his hand in front of his face. He’d had no idea anyone was so close. “Damn… you scared the shit out of me.” Feeling around him, Taylor began to realize he was in some sort of pit or future mass grave.
“Sorry.” The boy sounded fearful. Taylor couldn’t blame him. “Who are you?” He asked. You’re not from the pack.”
“I’m, uh, a friend of Kaden Dakota.” It wasn’t a total lie. Okay, so it was, but Taylor doubted the kid would feel better with the whole truth. “Are you Mason?”
“Yes.” His tone changed a little, grew more hopeful. “Are they searching for me?”
Taylor nodded, though the boy wouldn’t be able to see him in the darkness. “Of course. They haven’t had much luck. Not great trackers for wolves, eh?” He laughed anxiously, but cut it off abruptly when his headache intensified.
“Don’t insult my people. I’ve seen them follow rabbits and deer for miles without even using their eyes.” Mason sighed. “The guy that took us, he’s smart.”
“You’ve seen him?”
“Not exactly. He wears a leather mask and uses a cell phone app to distort his voice when he brings me food. It’s barely enough to keep me alive. He’s wants me starving when I go through my first shift at the next full moon. Then, he’s going to set me loose so I attack the civilians in the village. That guy hates Kaden.” He explained.
